The Fourteenth Master
by Ronin Setora
Summary: Kenshin is not alone in his skill... but is he still the best?
1. The Beginning...

The Fourteenth Master  
  
Prologue-  
  
  
When techniques are created, they are tested.  
  
Under proper instruction the fiercest technique can be learned by the most foolish, if the   
student is focused on his lessons.  
  
When the technique is mastered, it is passed on.  
  
The technique is taught only to the best of the best.  
  
It is taught in it's near maximum form to the strongest, fastest pupil.  
  
And to the most calm pupil it is taught in its full force.  
  
To protect the technique, the latter passes on the style in secret to but one.  
  
It is common knowledge that the former passes the technique on to a single pupil.  
  
So it comes to be that the second master of the Hiten Mitsurugii Ryu is not the best, but is the   
master known by the people.  
  
In this, the fourteenth master is the weaker.  
  
~To Be Continued~  
  
a/n: ... Hmm... you'll have to wait for the rest. 


	2. Great

The Fourteenth Master  
  
Ch. 1  
  
Great  
  
  
a/n: Here we go.  
  
_ _ _ _  
  
In this, the Fourteenth master is the weaker.  
_ _ _ _  
  
  
The moon sneaks behind the clouds blanketing the ground in darkness. The misty   
rain continues to fall as a flash in the sky flees.  
Moments later a distant rumble sounds and afterward there is silence. A hazy moon   
again appears tossing light unto the world, causing shadows to dance.  
In the light, moon-silver stands out. This milky shine darts forward and a small sound   
is heard. A body falls and a low moan cleaves more through the silence.  
Footsteps sound and shadows encircle the bloodied silver.  
"You the shogunate fools?"  
The shadows dance with the light.  
Slowly, one-by-one, the shadows stop moving and bodies disturb the leaves on the   
ground.  
One shadow remains to confront the light and again the moon hides.  
When the moon comes again into view the shadow is gone and the blackened silver   
stands alone. In a swift division of the air, the light again shines.  
In a lightning flash can be seen the eyes.  
The violet eyes shut and in another flash the eyes are gone. The rain falls on bloodstained   
earth.  
Words are whipped about in the wind,  
"You... were the shogunate fools."  
  
--|---------  
  
A touch of silver shines in the moonlight and takes a ghostly appearance in the rain.  
A score of shadown move in to engulf the ghost-light.  
So swiftly does the light strike a glowing ring remains in the air. Most of the shadows   
dissapear and are soon joined by more in the fade-away.  
Another crowd of shadows attack the light, charging it in waves, each being quickly cut   
down.  
Three shadows remain.  
One ghost, unmoving.  
The shadows charge as lightning illuminates the world.  
The final shadow's scream is muffled by thunder.  
Another flash reveals the milky hair of the ghost-bearer. The fighter is motionless.  
The words of a supposed dead shadow are heard,  
"Why... are you not... Bat... tousai...?"  
The ghost plunges into the shadow, causing a horrible, terrifying, earth-shattering scream   
to echo on the rocks.  
"The bastards... they don't care for the best. Just the best looking."  
A flash reveals a large scar on the right cheek of the ghost-bearer. As he runs away, a   
strand of his milk-white hair drops with his falling blood, soon picked up by the wind.  
The moon hides again from the fallen soldiers.  
~To be Continued~  
  
a/n: whadda ya think? btw- there is one original character... ((well duh...)) hey! don't talk like that to   
me!! 


	3. Assistance

The Fourteenth Master  
  
Ch. 2  
  
Assistance  
  
_ _ _ _  
The moon hides again from the fallen soldiers.  
_ _ _ _  
  
  
"We hope for this to be the final fight."  
A boy, no more than 16, raises his eyes to look at the man issuing the orders.  
"Sounds small."  
The man, partly bald with hazel eyes, nods once then his pleasure turns grim,  
"General Saigo is otherwise occupied."  
"Your point?"  
"Without his brilliant strategies, we'll need our ablest available men."  
"Aren't I already going?"  
"Your troop alone would be outnumbered... so we'll send another to accompany   
you."  
"Fine," then under his breath,  
"I could win alone bastard."  
"Well Saizen, you should get going."  
"Yeah."  
--|-------  
"Do you understand, Himura?"  
"My men from the east and north positions and the other group from the west?"  
"Good."  
Kenshin stands and places his sheath through his obi.  
"And Himura,"  
"Nani?"  
"Go in health."  
"...Save that for a lesser warrior. Have you forgotten who I am?"  
"Your arrogance will murder you."  
"Provided your silliness does not. I have work."  
Kenshin pushes a few strands of hair from his eyes. He walks out and soon relays the   
information to his men. An excited cheer can be heard. The officer stares at the door,  
"Oh... Kami-sama... let this be the end of this hell... young blood... is so... precious."  
--|-------  
The two troops meet at the crest of a hill, on the south side of the enemy's fort. The leaders,   
Saizen and Kenshin nod to each other and rush into the forests on each side of the fort.  
As Kenshin's troop splits partly to strike the side and back of the enemy, four men fall by   
gunshot. A swarm of soldiers attacks the group from the rear and Kenshin's battle begins.  
Meanwhile, Saizen's troop reaches the eastern gate of the fort. Bombs fly over the side   
and kill instantly three men. A large group comes from behind and another group through the gate.   
Several scores of soldiers battle the fifteen remaining men with Saizen.  
Most of Kenshin's allies lay fallen as teh ambushers are driven back from the western gate.   
As the few Meiji soldiers rest, Kenshin partly climbs into a tree. He looks on to see the outnumbered   
men of Saizen.  
"Come! Our battle's not quite over!" shouts Kenshin as he leaps out of the tree. He and   
his men run toward the east gate and are halted as another score of soldiers supporting the shogun   
burst through the main gate.All but three of Saizen's men are dead. The four soldiers fight a few   
dozen men down to two dozen. Saizen's three men fall one-by-one just as Kenshin reaches the   
eastern gate. As he parries and counterattacks a kill on one man, Saizen yells,  
"Where are your men?!"  
"Dead."  
A hidden soldier fires a shot into the trees then clubs Kenshin over the head with the butt of   
the rifle. Kenshin passes out.  
Saizen sees this and rages. The twenty-odd Bakufu soldiers are cut down to three. But the   
gun-armed soldier, still hidden, fires and knicks Saizen's right arm. The bullet stops his swing and   
another bullet grazes his left leg. In this instant a soldier tries to slash him as he leans backward.  
His chest is cut and he falls to the ground. The soldier prepares for the coup d' e grace   
when his stomach is torn apart from behind. The heads of the other men lie on the ground and their   
guns in twin pieces. Kenshin reaches out and Saizen takes the hand. Once mostway onto his feet,   
Saizen releases Kenshin. He touches his bloodied arm to his chest. He tears his clothing from the   
sash up and uses them as bandages. He tries to stand.  
"You won't make it alone."  
"I... don't... need your... advice."  
"Don't be stupid. You can barely stand, how're you gonna walk a few kilometers?"  
"Shimatta... fine. Let's go before I wise up."  
The two young soldiers, together struggle back to their headquarters and make a report   
on the battle.  
"Well boys... you're truly the best... and the most fortunate. You've got someone on   
your side."  
Simaltaneously they say,  
"Yeah... sure."  
  
~To Be Continued~  
  
a/n: bye for now: Ja! 


	4. Confrontation

The Fourteenth Master  
  
Ch. 3- Confrontation  
  
  
_ _ _ _ _  
"You two truly are the best... and the most fortunate. You've got someone   
on your side."  
Simeltaneously they say,  
"Yeah, sure."  
_ _ _ _ _  
  
  
In a lull in the war, for a few days, Kenshin and Saizen get a rest.  
For Saizen, against his will, the days are first recovery. His bandages   
confining his movements, he does little training. He, in his own mind, feels sluggish   
after his bandages are removed,though, in the eyes of all but the Hitokiri Battousai,   
he is faster than in previous days. In his training after the removal of his bandages,   
he creates a custom technique that works for him greatly, not draining him as much   
as the succession technique. A first-effort if you will. He practices it, and, with this   
constant revision, he grows faster and more agile in all his skills.  
But as he becomes more efficient in his mind, he pushes most of the world   
away. Few does he keep near him and he grows from most of his friends, becoming   
cruel during peace and excited at the thought of battle.  
During Saizen's rigorous physical training, the Hitokiri Battousai, at one time   
known as Himura Kenshin, undergoes meditation. Several men that made up the   
vanguard for attack and seige missions try often to congradulate him on his many   
successful missions, only getting an icy flame of a glare for their efforts. Two weeks   
pass with no updates on the war, then, when the sun was just rising on the fifteenth   
day, Kenshin recieves a mission- the kind of mission that earned him his title.  
--|-------  
As he stands near a tree, mid-forest, in Choshu territory at dusk, he reviews   
his mission once more.  
A name familiar to him stands out and for an instant he wonders, but quickly   
dismisses the thought as the last of the sun falls to its rest under the sea.  
In that moment of beauty, an innocent boy shows himself in the Battousai's   
eyes but soon gives way to the cold, unemotional killer with the eyes of fire that dwells   
in Himura Kenshin.  
--|-------  
In the dark of night, the Battousai's eyes would shine brightly but the eyelids   
are half shut to guarantee stealth. One of the Battousai's targets lies well hidden behind   
wall and guards.  
In his mind, Battousai's plan is formed, plotting, step-by-step, his route through   
the twisted hallways of the fortress. The fortress, having once been under Ishinshishi control,   
now held by Bakufu Gunjin, concealed Battousai's third of four targets. The first of the   
guard placements was seemingly unoccupied- the guard was dead asleep, posing no   
threat at the moment to the Battousai. But for precaution, he kills the man, to make certain   
he is not later caught when he wished not be.  
The words, "God take him" whisked through Battousai's mind as he tore through   
the amateur swordsmen the shogunate trusted as guards. He reaches his target in a   
matter of minutes and slays him as the words,  
"Heaven's Justice" roll off his tongue.  
He escapes the fortress and sends one of the spared guards off to alert the   
nearby police. With a loud yell, the guards's last feeling is a blade through his stomach.  
"None can see the Battousai and live."  
--|-------  
Saizen dons his headband and white and navy blue uniform and ties fast his obi. He   
slips his katana through the tight sash and exits the inn, his plan, in his mind, well worked out.  
--|-------  
Battousai waits in the shadows for his target to show. The question of why anyone   
would travel at night when bandits or those like himself could lie in wait circles in his head,   
but is pushed to the back of his mind as a bit of silver glints in the half-moonlight.  
He reflects on moments in his young life of training on the mountain on nights like   
this. He would look out at the moon and dream as a boy should. He would... but that same   
silver rocks him from his recollection of a childhood shortlived.  
He almost steps forward when the silver dissapears. Something about this person   
caught the attention of Battousai- they very distinctly let their energy be felt, right until they   
moved. Battousai felt a very strong ki from this apparent warrior... a familiar ki.  
He feels it again like the feeling of a very faint, short breeze on exposed skin or   
the subtle shift of grass under a trained footstep.  
He catches wisps of the energy nearing him but from different places each time.   
A brief thought hits him then is forgotten,  
"Is this my last fight? ...No, it's not time to die for me."  
With the same feeling he got when training with Hiko, the excitement of a duel,   
the Battousai draws his katana.  
In that very short moment, the energy seemed to have dissappeared. He feels it   
approach and as he reaches a ready position, his sword is struck by another and he is thrown   
off guard for a brief moment. His attacker uses the instant and trips Battousai, quickly getting   
sword-tip at the throat of the young assassin.  
Battousai wonder how anyone could ever fall him and anger creates an idea. His right   
hand very near his sword hilt, he whips the blade to his attacker's chest and they hold the lethal   
positions for seconds that last hours. The standing warrior soon speaks,  
"Hitokiri Kenshin... no, Hitokiri Battousai. To think you'd come so far for this."  
Anger rages in the Battousai and he tries to calm, speaking through clenched teeth,  
"Heaven demands your death."  
The warrior's eyes grow elated and shine bright in the semi-darkness,  
"Your commanding officer is a fool. Amazing what the slightest false information can   
do to a man. He got so excited to think that I, the one and only Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru, would turn   
traitor on my country's beliefs. He wanted me out of your way so bad... it's disgusting."  
'...Hitokiri Saizen...? Katsura?! My God!!'  
Hitokiri Saizen pulls his sword from Battousai's neck and sheaths it. He extends his   
hand to raise Battousai and the fallen soldier knocks it away.  
"Why did you want me here?"  
"Tonight it does not matter. Just know that you are not the best."  
The Battousai glares at the other hitokiri as he rises and straightens his hakama.  
"Now go, Battousai, and confess to your commander his foolishness to assume and   
believe so happily."  
Battousai's eyes reach beyond simple contempt to pure and true hate. He makes one   
last comment before slipping into the darkness,  
"None have ever knocked me down. It will NOT happen again."  
Hitokiri Saizen stands in a clearing while the moonlight shines on his silver hair and   
smiles at his own craftiness.  
--|-------  
Himura Kenshin, now back to himself though still known as Battousai, thinks over   
Katsura's anger and embarrassment, and part of him is pleased that he could cause the man   
such discomfort. He walks on the streets, his mind on his own matters when he hears a scream   
and looks up to see some soldiers harassing a woman.  
"They are... NO! Ishinshishi! Those... bastards," thinks Kenshin as the anger of the   
Battousai emerges.  
Just as he reaches within twenty yards of the soldiers of lost honor, he notices the   
milk-white hair of the hitokiri that boldly confronted him the night before rushing toward the   
very same target. The Battousai stands in wait and watches as the soldiers stop and the woman   
draws a blade.  
They all turn to Saizen with katanas and daggers and close in on him.  
Battousai wonders for a moment why Meiji soldiers would attack their own comrade,   
then sees the shogunate symbol on the back of one of the soldiers hakama and everything   
comes into focus.  
  
When the soldiers turn on him and the lady draws a dagger, Saizen notices the Bakufu   
icon on one of the soldiers uniforms and curses himself,  
"Damn my heroics. Kill... OR BE KILLED!!!"  
Saizen goes into a dance, his attacks well trained and dodges fluid, cutting down the   
four imposter soldiers, leaving the woman standing, petrified with fear.  
Saizen stares at her,  
"Run. Run and tell Yoshinobu that Saizen Tamoru will never die."  
The woman runs away, dropping her dagger at his feet.  
Battousai turns away and Saizen's words echo in his mind,  
"Saizen Tamoru will never die."  
"We'll see... we'll see," thinks Kenshin, having become inagressive again.  
--|-------  
"I'm here for the hitokiri."  
The innkeeper looks up into the eyes of this ...messenger, she assumes by his   
elaborate dress. She asks calmly,  
"Battousai or Saizen?"  
The herald's eyes grow wide and his mouth opens,  
"They're both here?!"  
A young lady comes in and smiles at the messenger,  
"Hitokiri Battousai is not here, Mother. He left yesterday evening and is yet to   
return."  
The messenger smiles back at the girl and recovers his cool, turning back to the   
innkeeper,  
"Well, I'm here to see Hitokiri Saizen."  
"He is asleep right now."  
"Then could you give him this?"  
The messenger slides an envelope to the innkeeper over the desk.  
"Sure. Have a nice day."  
The messenger walks out of the inn and the keeper turns to her daughter,  
"Amiko, take this to Tamoru-san."  
"You said Sai-chan was sleeping."  
The mother glares at the girl,  
"Tamoru-san does not want visitors."  
"Why do you call him Tamoru-san? He's not an old man."  
"Just go."  
The girl prepares to argue again but decides against it and walks to Saizen's room,   
slipping the envelope into her kimono sleeve.  
"I wonder... Sai-ch-"  
Saizen slides open the door to his room and puts a finger to Amiko's lips,  
"Ami-chan, calm yourself. There's no reason I would not have heard a simple knock."  
"Sorry Sai-chan I-"  
"Shh. I said not to call me that outside the room."  
"Gomen."  
Saizen smiles at her and pulls her into his room, locking together their lips as he   
slides closed the door. As he pulls away for breath, she speaks,  
"Uhm... oh... Sai-chan... oh... stop. You've got a message."  
Saizen's eyes lose their sensual sparkle and grow serious... depressed,  
"Really? Was the message by mouth?"  
Amiko reaches into her sleeve,  
"This envelope... wait... let me get it."  
Saizen stops her,  
"No. Not now. Come back this evening and give it to me. It's too early anyway."  
"Okay... I'll see you later Sai-chan."  
"Work hard tonight, Ami-chan."  
Amiko walks out of the room under Saizen's sad gaze.  
"Oh Sai-chan... it'll all be over one day... and we can be together... just stay alive for   
me," says Amiko to herself as she walks past Kenshin.  
"Ohayo Ken-san! Genki desu ka?"  
Kenshin just walks beyond her to his room, never looking up.  
"Ken-san? ...what's wrong?"  
Kenshin stops at his door and looks to Amiko. He tries to be in good spirits, his eyes   
only ending up more depressed than Saizen's,  
"My hair... still smells like blood."  
  
~To Be Continued~  
Uh huh, uh huh, now what? Feel free to review, I'd do it for you. 


	5. Outcast

The Fourteenth Master  
Ch. 4- Outcast  
~Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru  
[ronin setora]  
  
  
_ _ _ _  
"My hair... still smells like blood."  
_ _ _ _  
  
"I've been doing this for over a year now, I think it's naturally   
understood I'm needed!"  
A Japanese man, both fighter and general by his uniform, pulls up on   
his topknot, fixing the band holding his hair.  
"It doesn't matter. We can't risk this again right now."  
"But Takamori-san!"  
General Saigo Takamori, leader of the Ishinshishi soldiers and head of   
the Meiji rebellion shuts his eyes, sighing.  
"Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru. Turn in your sword."  
Saizen slams down his hand on the table, rage, for the first time,   
overtaking him opposed to being used in battle,  
"You BASTARD! I went against my own father, killing his best men, for   
your damned ideals! I was forced to slay, against my own word, my   
friends, my siblings, so you can do this to me now?! I fought in this hell   
of a war spilling blood in my home of Kyoto so you can betray me?!"  
"You are now stripped of your hitokiri title and are hereby removed from   
the protection of Ishinshishi forces during injury. You are now   
dismissed."  
Saizen's brilliant silver eyes pierce those of General Takamori's and   
he says one last thing before leaving, suddenly calm again,  
"Bastards like you lose their power. They always do."  
As Saizen turns to the door, the General speaks again,  
"Turn over your sword."  
"You go straight to Hell. Forge your own damn sword."  
Saizen walks out of the room and out of the building under General   
Takamori's cold glare.  
Something stirs in a shadowy corner of the room, just to the right of   
the shoji.  
"Was it wise to eliminate one of the Ishinshishi's best Hitokiri?"  
"What he did was out of selfishness and a waste of time for you."  
"It was the action of a dignified boy."  
"You wouldn't have done it."  
"How would you know?"  
The speaker of the shadows turns his back on the general, his eyes on   
the minute designs on the door's padding.  
"You do realize he could go back?"  
General Saigo's tone is triumphant,  
"I realize he CANNOT become a Bakufu gunjin."  
"And this is because...?"  
--|-------  
Saizen wanders about Kyoto, blood running in the streets in his mind on   
a bright day two years so long past...  
  
Edo Castle, home of the Emperor, temporarily occupied by the coward of   
the Fifteenth Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu. The conference   
room was filled to the brim with advisors, counselors, guards, and the   
Shogun himself. In the center of the great hall, head bowed low, a katana   
at the left side, a boy with milk-white/silvery hair awaits recognition by   
the Shogun. The men in the hall whisper to one another of the boy showing   
such distrust of the shogunate court. Finally, as Yoshinobu clears his   
throat, the hall falls silent, every eye but that of the boy on the Shogun.  
"What, child, is your reason for disturbing our meeting?"  
The boy looks up and stares into the coals that were Yoshinobu's eyes.  
"I come to dismiss myself from your army."  
"You are...?"  
"I WAS Shogunate Hitokiri Battousai, Saizen Tamoru."  
The Shogun's chief advisor rises and addresses Saizen,  
"Your words hold no weight here boy. Your name is of no relevance to thi-"  
"Silence yourself. I did not permit you to speak."  
The advisor is taken aback, the guards step once toward him, and the Shogun   
focuses again on Saizen.  
"Hmm... from my herald many a time have I heard of you. How old are you   
and how long have you served our betrayed Nippon?"  
"I am 14 now, in Rokugatsu to turn 15. I have served... Japan for over eight months,"   
Saizen being careful in his words as to avoid "betrayed".  
"And why, young Tamoru, do you wish to leave my army?"  
Though Yoshinobu stays calm, the shot-down advisor rages, his anger   
destroying all good judgement,  
"HE'S A TRAITOR! I KNOW HE IS! WHY ELSE WOULD HE NOT WISH   
TO DIE FOR US?!!"  
The Shogun -harumphs- and nods to a guard to his left.  
"By 'US' you meant 'me'. You seem to think you are Japan itself. You will be   
accurately punished."  
Yoshinobu turns then to Saizen, clearing his throat to signal his oncoming words,  
"Young Tamoru," says the last Tokugawa to Saizen alone, "I know not the reasons   
you have for leaving my army, but dare not question them as is only respectful   
between men of class and honor. But, the most of the matter I shall say is that I   
pray you do not turn against the lands you were born unto, and in this I wish   
you goodwill for your vagabondage."  
Saizen nods, then speaks,  
"You truly are a gracious lord and I myself do hope I will not kill my friends."  
Yoshinobu smiles at the young warrior,  
"The only thing- and last thing it seems- I will ask of you is to punish this... this   
vermin," staring now at the restrained advisor, "as you see fit."  
Saizen rises to a kneel.  
"My Lord Yoshinobu, if it is enough to treat him to a warrior's death, I would be fine   
with the punishment."  
The Shogun's smile broadens,  
"Ah! A warrior's sympathy! You are a truly honorable Hitokiri! Guards, release the   
rat!"  
The guards loosen with haste their grips leaving them struggling man to fall to the   
ground. Tokugawa Yoshinobu's smile fades, to be replaced by a stone hard expression.  
"Donate your sword to this treasonous man, my faithful guard Kai."  
A large, black-haired guard steps forward handing the hilt of his sheathed katana to   
the former advisor. The latter draws the katana and spears of icy hate fly from his eyes   
to those of an unafraid, motionless Saizen. The hitokiri takes a stance unfamiliar to the   
court, not even pulling out his sword. Saizen's bright eyes shine in flame as he speaks,  
"Sir Kai. Your sword shan't taste my blood this day."  
The advisor rushes forward, eager to prove himself correct over this foolish boy   
confronting him.  
"YAAHHHH!!!"  
As he runs, he raises his sword, clutched by both hands, above his head. When near   
Saizen he begins dropping his arms quickly and powerfully. With the very speed of a   
thought, Saizen draws his katana, cutting the stomach of his opponent, left to right side.   
With that same quickness, he takes Kai's katana from the man and leaps left to avoid the   
squirting blood.  
When the attacker finally dies fully, the court stares in awe. What they are   
dumbfounded by is not the young warriro nor his swift technique. What strikes them   
though, is no blood rested on either his or Kai's swords. That his speed was seemingly   
untouchable. The Shogun grows first euphoric, then drastically saddened.  
"It's a shame you must leave us. Now that I have seen you perform, I am personally   
obligated to ask why you wish to leave our side?"  
Saizen shuts his silver eyes, allowing his morning-white bangs to fall over them.  
"I must ask LORD Yoshinobu- how many fingers need have a man to write?"  
"What kind of questi-"  
Yoshinobu is cut off as Saizen rushes toward him, a wakisashi drawn, shining in the early   
light. The Hitokiri stops just short of Yoshinobu and pulls a blind slash.  
Or so it seems until Yoshinobu falls to the floor howling in pain, blood seeping through   
the fingers holding the detached wrist. The severed left hand drops, tumbling on the floor   
before coming to a bloody stop. Saizen walks away a bit, kneels, then tosses Kai his katana.  
"Don't forget, Kai."  
Hate brews behind shining black eyes.  
"We already know you're a liar and a traitor."  
Swords collide, katana upon wakisashi. Suddenly, steel shatters, leaving a deep gash   
in the neck of the guard. Saizen knocks away the still-clean katana and takes Kai's head.  
"Before you see God, relive this day. I've told no lies."  
As Saizen marches toward the door, the guards clear his path in fear. Yoshinobu screams,  
"WHY KAI?!"  
"You can't die just yet. I'll disgrace you further yet... Father."  
"SAIZEN!!!!!"  
Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru exits Edo Castle and leaves behind the Emperor's Hatred, his own   
father, the fifteenth and last Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.  
--|-------  
"You're telling me he is alone now?"  
General Takamori nods.  
Kenshin's dry tone grows irritated,  
"Mercenaries are worse than Hitokiri."  
Saigo falls into his chair, startled by this new revelation as Hitokiri Battousai slips out of   
the room, shutting the shoji in silence.  
--|-------  
Saizen walks down the main street of Kyoto toward the inn.  
"It seems I've been outcasted by all. Maybe even by myself."  
His silver hair blows in the wind as a cold dusk falls upon central Japan.  
  
~To Be Continued~  
a/n: Next Chapter: Who really deserves to be Battousai?  
Ja!! 


	6. Titles and Nothing More

The Fourteenth Master  
Ch. 5- Titles and Nothing More  
Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru  
[ronin setora]  
  
  
  
_ _ _ _  
"It seems I've been outcasted by all. Maybe even by myself."  
His silver hair blows in the wind as a cold dusk falls upon central Japan.  
_ _ _ _  
  
a/n: This author note is rather long to clear up some historical things. For one,  
Yoshinobu Tokugawa WAS indeed the fifteenth and last Tokugawa Shogun. As far as I  
know, he did NOT have an heir to the Tokugawa name before the end of his reign. As  
you should know, Himura Kenshin (Shinta) was not a real person. There was also no   
"battousai" of the Bakufu forces, all they had were simple assassins. The last   
battle in the Bakumatsu was executed in Kyoto, won by the Shi-shi (Ishinshishi) in   
1867. I know there was only one or two days between the battle that gained him his   
first scar and his encounter with Tomoe and the Niwaban-shu ninja, but for the   
story's sake I extended this time greatly. Now, on with the "Fourteenth Master"--  
  
  
Saizen wanders the streets of Kyoto, the dusk falling upon Japan, casting crimson-  
gold upon his silver hair. His bangs hang low, too long unmanaged, across his face,   
covering the top of the scar that went from above his left eye-brow to the side of   
his lips. As he moves down a large street, his pre-occupied mind does not notice   
the already small crowd flee to the sides of the street. The Tamoru/Tokugawa child   
also does not see the light blue and white clad group moving down the center of the   
dirty road. His eyes are never brought up as he walks completely through their   
ranks, causing each of them to turn and face him, one-by-one, a murderous glare on   
their faces. One man, of about middle to tall height, with a bit of a long face and   
a black ponytail pulled high, stares at Saizen with his thin eyes, more than murder   
behind his pupils. A contempt for the look of this boy playing at his mind. He   
places his right hand on the hilt of his sword and catches the boy's shoulder.  
"Do you know what you just did?"  
The boy moves his shoulder slightly and slips from the man's grasp, walking on as   
if nothing had slowed him. A small person, of a child's stature pulls from the   
group and stands in the way of Saizen. He looks up at him, a small hand on a full   
sized katana's hilt. A form of confidence and offense is in his eyes opposed to the   
painful thoughts in those of his comrades. He speaks in a small voice that fits   
well his size, then grows louder slowly to make sure he was heard.  
"You stupid fool. Never disrespect Master Saitoh. We should have you killed here   
and now."  
Saizen places his right hand in the center of Okita's chest and shoves him aside,   
moving yet again as if there had been no obstacle. His downcast gaze catches the   
angry stare of the smaller warrior.  
"Don't bother me child."  
Okita draws his katana and readies to attack this arrogant warrior. Saitoh steps   
forward and grabs the blunt side of the brandished sword, holding Okita back. His   
steady black eyes watch those of the young boy, taking in the offense, the anger,   
the hatred, and the preparedness to kill right in the middle of the street. Saizen   
moves far from the range of any of the Shinsen-gumi swordsmen and proceeds to the   
inn, hoping to speak only to Ami before anyone else for fear of saying something   
wrong or starting a battle. Okita looks up to Saitoh, almost pulling away to fight   
his leader.  
"Master Saitoh!! Why did you stop me?!"  
Hajime Saitoh, with his stone cold stare and fearless mind looks at the faint form   
of Saizen in the semi-darkness.  
"The smell of blood. I wonder if that is the swordsman that has killed so many   
without being caught. The Battousai?"  
"Master?"  
"You would have lost the battle."  
The Shinsen-gumi begins moving again down the street, Saitoh plotting a way to   
payback the cocky warrior that had earned such fame. Okita walks in silence, hoping   
that he would become strong enough to earn the respect of his master.  
--|-------  
"Well Amiko, we can't keep him here."  
"Mother... please."  
The landlady and innkeeper looks down at her daughter, dissapointment in her eyes   
at the foolishness of her.  
"He is no longer one of the Choshu men, I have already heard."  
"Oh... oh no... no mother no... let him stay. Please."  
Amiko starts crying, falling to her knees and shielding her face with her hands. "Please   
Mother, let him stay, for me."  
The innkeeper doesn't even try to comfort her daughter. She just stares down at her   
in contempt for this petty attempt at groveling.  
"Love has blinded you. Forget Tamoru and keep working or I'll have you sold."  
"Mother!!!!"  
She walks away back to the entrance of the inn to wait for new business, leaving   
her to cry rivers along the wooden floor. As her tears flow, Kenshin walks into the   
inn. He says a few words to the innkeeper at the front then proceeds to the end of   
the hall to his room. As he slides closed the shoji he can partly hear sobbing   
coming through the thin walls. From the direction of the sound, he sees a hitokiris   
face flash in his mind. But the crying is that of a woman coming from Saizen's room   
so he steps back out and knocks on the shoji. From inside, Amiko stops crying and   
sucks in her breath.  
"Oh no... I shouldn't be in here."  
She looks around and sees no way of leaving the room but from the main door so   
breathes in and out several times very slowly and walks to the door. She drops to   
her knees and slides the shoji open from the side and gasps at her "guest".  
"Konbonwa," as she dries tears with her sleeve, "Ken-san. How are you?"  
Kenshin looks around the room in search of Saizen, seeing nothing in his violet   
irises. He looks back to Amiko and her tears flow slowly down her face again. His   
look of surprise fades back to his drab, unfeeling, soft-spokenness, finally   
regaining composure in his mind and stance.  
"What's the matter? Where is Tamoru-san?"  
Amiko tries to stop crying and her breaths come quick, cutting her words into   
pieces,  
"Saizen... l-left... gone... damn that man... d-damn h-him. That... damned T-  
takamori..."  
Kenshin's eyes grow bright then become dull again, his famous lack of emotion   
overcoming him, making him seem himself again. But in that moment of brightness a   
form of sorriness, of pity for this saddened little girl, plays at his mind. He   
feels a sudden urge to comfort her but holds it back until the shine dissappears.   
But even still, this wanting to comfort comes as a brotherly kind of feeling, one   
he would have expected to have died with the rest of his family related emotions.   
Through all this he holds his breath, organizing his words to not depress her   
further, to even try and make her feel better,  
"Try and forgive Takamori-sama. He has... done only what he must... but," Kenshin   
breaths for a few moments, questioning the next thing he planned on saying, "I'll   
bring Tamoru-san back... if you'll just stop crying."  
Kenshin then thinks to himself, What the hell are you saying?! Be quiet!! Don't say   
anything else!  
Amiko looks up, her tears in a steady stream down her cheeks, her eyes shining   
bright with happiness. She pulls back her dark brown hair from her face and smiles   
up at Kenshin,  
"R-really? Oh THANK YOU!!"  
Kenshin stares down at her, wondering about how he would accomplish his recent   
promise. Why in the Hell! did I just do that?! Kami-sama!!  
He walks out the shoji and goes back to his own room. He drops to the floor nearby   
the window, leaning against the stacks of books he would never have the chance to   
read. He closes his violet eyes as blood begins to run down the left side of his   
face. He recalls Iizuka's words,  
He's getting revenge even from the afterlife.  
"I haven't even done anything this time..."  
He suddenly remembers something and reaches into his sleeve, pulling out a deep   
black envelope, grimacing as he slides it open.  
"No time for this... I'll worry about Tamoru later."  
--|-------  
At the Imperial Courtroom of Edo Castle, still occupied by the cowardly, now one-  
handed, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, a messenger comes in at the side of the Shogun's   
retainer. The retainer stands stock-still and the messenger drops to his knees, his   
head to the floor. When finally Yoshinbou acknowledges him, the messenger pulls a   
small folded piece of paper from an inside pocket. Without lifting his head and not   
standing full-up, he does a kneel-crawl toward the Shogun with the letter at the   
greatest extent of his arms. When within range, the Shogun takes the letter and   
unfolds it with haste. As he reads he nods and shakes his head, sighing when it was   
done. The entire court looks to him, straining their ears for any whispered   
comments he might make. Finally he looks up.  
"It seems... the Tamoru boy is indeed of Tokugawa blood... and is my heir."  
There is a simeltaneous gasp from the men of the court.  
"And now that he has been exiled from here..."  
Everyone leans forward to the Shogun,  
"...the Tokugawa family is done. So, a new mission to all of my men,"  
The few soldiers, leaders of their respective groups, in the room look forward to   
Yoshinobu with a new interest,  
"Is to find Saizen Tamoru and bring him here- ALIVE." Several of the men groan   
though they knew that alive was the only one that made sense of the two.  
"To the man that gets him here, there will be the greatest of rewards and you will   
be promoted to a Daimyo and given as much land as I can afford one man."  
All of the samurai that fought in battle smiled at this new promise and were very   
ready to leave the courtroom and begin searching.  
"Also, in honor of my now deceased but faithful guard, Kai, all the land in his   
name will go to the family of the samurai to bring me my son. That is all."  
Many men rush out to rally their men and prepare for a search and perhaps battle.   
Yoshinobu sighs again, speaking to his retainer,  
"How could I have not known about this child for sixteen years now?"  
The retainer breaths in deeply, hoping he'd keep his head for his next comment,  
"Did you ever visit a brothel before your reign?"  
Yoshinobu's eyes grow wide and he sucks in his breath quickly.  
--|-------  
Kenshin pounds on the door of the inn, blood and mud on the bottom of his leggings,   
a woman in light clothing smelling of white plum draped over his shoulder. He holds   
a purple, blood-soaked umbrella in his other hand as the landlady finally opens up   
to him.  
"You Choshu men are amazing. Kill all night and still manage to find a woman."  
Himura Kenshin, the Battousai of Choshu Forces, formerly of the Kihei-tai, glares   
at the innkeeper,  
"Please prepare a room for her."  
The innkeeper looks up indignantly then begins walking toward the hallway entrance   
door,  
"There are no vacancies. None at all. This isn't a whorehouse anyway. Why don't you   
take her to your room like a gentlemen? I'll get some dry clothes and warm towels."  
Kenshin just stands over the woman, thoroughly surprised at this outburst from the   
normally generous innkeeper.  
--|-------  
Saizen walks past a nasty scene, blood both forward and backward down the small   
alleyway, a large-framed man cut down the middle, a chained katana to his arm lying   
bloodied near him. He glances at the man once more and notices his unusual clothing   
and the face-mask.  
"An assassin. Hmm..."  
As the rain continues to fall, he hears whistles in the distance, the signal that   
some kind of authorities were near. He, still known as a Hitokiri to some, and a   
man with a sword no less, would have seemed suspicious there so he flees quickly,   
climbing to the rooftops and hurrying toward the inn. The smell of white plums   
lingers in the area and he notes it before hopping away.  
--|-------  
Early in the morning Kenshin is walking down the stairs searching for the woman   
that had dominated his dreams. As he is going down he sees her carrying a tray but   
here's a guided footstep behind him. He turns quickly and sees Saizen on the   
balcony, dripping wet, his bangs glued to his forehead. He watches him slip into   
the back entrance of his room, then ignores it and rushes down the stairs in hopes   
to catch the lady he had rescued the night before.  
"Wait! Are you alright?"  
She nods.  
"Thank you. I was very drunk last night."  
Kenshin is startled.  
"What is your name?"  
"Yukishiro Tomoe."  
As she hurries away to the main guest room, he stares in shock at her retreating   
form,  
"Drunk?"  
--|-------  
Right as Kenshin is walking out the shoji, disgusted at Iizuka's perversion, Saizen   
comes down the stairs. They walk in opposite directions, almost crossing each   
other's paths. When they come shoulder-to-shoulder, Kenshin stops. Saizen does the   
same and they each stare at the walls far in front of them. The Battousai speaks   
first,  
"Amiko is worried about you. She may do something foolish."  
Without looking away from the wall, Saizen replies,  
"Amiko will be fine as long as I'm here. But I can't stay."  
"Take her with you."  
"I have no place to go to shelter even myself alone, much less two of us."  
"If you can promise me something, I may be able to get you back on the Choshu   
side."  
Saizen blinks and opens his eyes to be staring at the floor before him,  
"I have no wanting to rejoin the Choshu men, but what do you need?"  
"Yoshinobu is coming for you. I can feel it. You know why."  
"I won't go back to my father. I've got another reason, though, besides his   
disowning me."  
Kenshin blinks and looks at Saizen out the corner of his eye. Saizen catches this   
movement and continues speaking without bothering to look at the other warrior,  
"The men of the field. Do you know what they call you?"  
Kenshin is silent.  
"That title is rightfully mine."  
Saizen walks away then, into the room where Iizuka had begun laughing with the men   
again and all of them staring hopelessly at Tomoe. Kenshin stands still, taking in   
his conversation with the ex-hitokiri just then and that odd night many days   
before. Blood runs down his face again as he goes to the sinks to clean.  
--|-------  
Several groups of soldiers move through the streets of Kyoto, searching places   
Saizen had been known to frequent. It seemed that, though all the other groups had   
missions, there was one group with a different kind of mission. This group   
consisted of two men and one boy. They wore colors that created fear in the very   
hearts of the city people. The light-blue and jagged white forced respect from   
peasants without assistance from it's wearer. Okita and Saitoh are accompanied by a   
lesser member of the Shinsen-gumi as they search for the one they believed to be   
Battousai and knew to be an arrogant fool.  
That particular night, they chose to go into an inn. And this was the inn that the   
Battousai and his rival stayed at, along with Tomoe and Amiko. The two women were   
the very ones doing reception that night and Tomoe was the first they hassled.  
"Do you know a silver haired swordsman?"  
The lesser member had Tomoe by the shoulders and was shaking her, he also being the   
man asking the questions. The Yukishiro girl shook her head solemnly and quickly,   
being released with such force she was tossed to the side of the room. The man then   
grabbed Amiko the same way and asked her the question. She averted her eyes, hoping   
that, if she didn't look this monstrous man in the face she wouldn't have to   
answer. He violently shakes her, causing her hair to come loose from it's bun.   
Tears begin to roll down her face and Saitoh steps forward.  
"Enough."  
The man stops shaking her and she cries audibly.  
"Quiet."  
When she doesn't, the man slaps her and she falls to the ground. The innkeeper,   
though in another room, hears the cries and the slap and rushes into the welcoming   
area of the inn.  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Don't ever touch one of my employees!   
Especially not that one!!"  
The man stares at the landlady, his hand moving to the hilt of his katana. When she   
sees that, she says in a rock steady voice,  
"If you draw that sword, you will be killed here and now."  
He grips the katana and pulls lightly, causing the lamplight to shine on the inch   
of blade exposed. The lady screams,  
"HIMURA!!!"  
In the time it takes the Battousai to hear the call, Saizen is down the stairs and   
watching the scene. He dashes forward and past the innkeeper and slashes through   
the Shinsen-gumi warrior as he draws his sword. Okita steps back and draws his   
katana.  
"That's him!"  
The innkeeper yells mostly unintelligibly until Saizen hears,  
"OUT!! NOT IN HERE YOU'LL RUIN MY INN!!!"  
Saitoh steps out and drags Okita with him Saizen follows and they stand in the   
street, the young boy and the former Hitokiri staring at each other, the taller   
warrior in complete silence. Okita takes a ready position and rushes at Saizen to   
find that he is gone completely. By the time he notices the falling swordsman in   
the air, Saitoh has knocked him out of the way and has backed up. Saizen pulls his   
katana back and flips onto a roof, landing with perfection. He sheaths his katana   
and stares down at Okita. Saitoh watches them glare at one another, then speaks   
quietly to the boy,  
"I told you before. Now come, this is not the one. He would have killed you had he   
been."  
Okita wonders why Saitoh would walk away and not finish this warrior, wonders why   
he had been knocked away, wonders why the silver haired fighter had not killed him   
indeed. He rises to one knee and yells at Saizen before following after Saitoh,  
"I'll get you! Just wait!"  
Saizen watches them leave, then thinks to himself,  
The world is just out to get me lately. That's just fine.  
Kenshin viewed all this from the top of the stairs and the doorway of the inn, then   
thinks to himself,  
This man could be considered a Battousai. But is it that important? It's just a   
title... and nothing more. Why would it matter so much?  
He turns and walks back up the stairs to his room. He leans again by the books and   
shuts his eyes, thoughts of Tomoe and Saizen plaguing his mind.  
  
~To Be Continued~  
a/n: As should be obvious, I've been using this and the last chapter to clear up   
things about his past. I figure it's about time to get a bit of a confrontation   
goin don't ya think? So here it is, next chapter- Leader of Men, or Killer of Men?   
How do Hitokiris regain their names? 


	7. To the Death

The Fourteenth Master  
Ch. 6- To the Death  
Hitokiri Saizen Tamoru   
[ronin setora]  
  
_ _ _ _  
He turns and walks back up the stairs to his room. He leans again by   
the books and shuts his eyes, thoughts of Tomoe and Saizen plaguing   
his mind.  
_ _ _ _  
  
a/n: How do Hitokiri Regain their titles? Leader of Men, or Killer?  
  
"Tomoe-chan?"  
Black hair shifts upon white-clad shoulders.  
"Hm?"  
Worried eyes meet curious ones. Amiko drops her gaze to her feet while   
two men stand at the ready in front of her.  
"Sai-chan will lose."  
Tears begin to fall from Amiko's eyes as Tomoe looks back at the two   
Hiten Mitsurugii swordsmen. She says nothing and focuses on them.  
Kenshin stares into the eyes of his opponent. He notices something   
strange about him, something he couldn't quite point out. Had they been   
in battou-jutsu stances, Saizen's different form would not have worked,   
but, both of them being battou-jutsu masters, that form of battle would   
have gone nowhere. But Kenshin stares nonetheless, trying to figure out   
the little things that made Saizen's stance different from his own.  
Saizen notices Kenshin's curiousity and smirks in his mind. He knows   
what has the Battousai wondering but keeps his stance so close to   
normal that his adversary couldn't decifer the difference. Though he   
holds his katana with both hands, as any swordsman would after drawing   
it, he has those hands switched. His left hand is nearest the tsuba but   
he keeps his feet in the right handed stance. He watches his opponent   
and thinks of the day that had passed that had him in this position.  
--|------- -------|--  
"As a student of the Hiten Mitsurugii Ryu, I cannot stand idly by as   
people are slaughtered. This is why I kill."  
"So you consider yourself a devoted follower of the first principle?"  
"Yes I do. The sword of Mitsurugii should be weilded for the people of   
the world."  
"I know the damn principles. Do you not realize what Mitsurugii   
technique is? It's just another way to kill our brothers. But, if   
that's all it is, I have no reason to only bear it against men someone   
socially above me calls corrupted. In my eyes, everyone fighting this   
Unholy War is corrupted."  
"I fight to protect those important to me. To end the suffering of   
those around me."  
"What motivates you?"  
Himura Kenshin looks down at the ground in front of him, vivid images   
of the three ladies that had guarded him in his childhood, their bodies   
resting in their own blood. He remembers the strain on his body from   
digging them graves and burying them all alone. He thinks of the first   
words the thirteenth master of the Hiten Mitsurugii Ryu said to him. He   
ressurects the sky when that same master payed tribute to the women and   
took Shinta, a boy long left behind, as his pupil.  
"I have seen people close to me die. I do not want anyone else to die   
like that."  
"Just what do you THINK you're doing in Kyoto?! Look at this!"  
Saizen draws his sword and it's normally moonlight mirror shine is   
covered in a thin yellow-white layer with bits of red liquid running   
down the blade. He cocks his head at the bodies strewn around them,   
both ally and enemy.  
"Do you not understand that, nomatter what you tell yourself or what   
you tell me, these people are only going to see you as their killer?!   
The one man that took their life, took the life of their friends, of   
their brothers, their sisters, their mothers and fathers?! Why don't   
you see what you're doing?"  
"I... I..."  
Saizen wipes his still dripping blade of the human oils and blood,   
sheathing it slowly to let his words sink in. Finally he looks back up   
at Kenshin, his silver eyes flashing with an understanding gained from   
experiences inappropriate for one his age.  
"Tonight I want you to fight me. And when it's over, tell me what you   
are fighting for. Tell me if you understand."  
The Tamoru child runs away while the Himura stares blankly.  
"I'm... fighting for her."  
He turns away from the battlefield and begins his trip to inform   
Katsura of the progress.  
--|-------  
"So, can you come up with any reasons for me to allow you to stay   
here?"  
Saizen bows low, his left hand on the tsuba of his katana.  
"No I cannot," he says, without even a side glance at the huddled form   
crying in a dark corner of the room.  
"Well then Tamoru-san, goodbye."  
He pulls back up and walks over to the body in the corner and kneels   
slowly. He places his thumb to the female face, cutting off the flow of   
tears.  
"Stop crying Amiko."  
She looks up at him as he stands up and walks out the door. Less than   
two mintues after Saizen is gone, tears begin falling again. The   
innkeeper looks down at her daughter, a feeling of pity for Amiko in   
her eyes. Rain begins to fall outside.  
"Dry your eyes. We have work today."  
--|-------  
The sun rises slowly, casting a golden glow about the silver strands   
atop a swordsman's head. This swordsman keeps his arms folded inside   
his gi to guard his bare chest from the sharp wind of the chill autumn   
morning. His eyes are focused on the ground about two feet in front of   
him, taking in only his next step and disregarding all the people in   
the street just beginning their day. He hears a heavy footstep and the   
clink of a sword being dislocated from the scabbard head and glances   
up. A group of warriors, about seven, all armed with katanas, step   
forward as one toward Saizen.  
"You, Tokugawa child, come with us."  
In a voice so low it could barely be heard, with a rasp created by the   
cold, Saizen replies,  
"There are no Tokugawa children. Move."  
A broad shouldered man steps from the back of the group, having been   
unnoticed at first. He was a bit short and rather large, and armed with   
two katanas.  
"Come with us without argument and there will be no bloodshed today."  
In the same quiet, feelingless voice, Saizen counters,  
"The Tamorus walk a fine path of revenge against the Tokugawas. My   
blood does not change my path. You eight stand in my path."  
"Silence boy. We were told not to kill you."  
Saizen dips his hands back into his sleeves and touches the hilt of his   
katana.  
"You won't."  
He draws the sword and runs through the group, cutting down the seven   
originally visible warriors. He stares the short one in the eye and   
speaks even softer than before but much more maliciously.  
"This is the end of the road for you. My path will end beyond your   
corpse."  
The man shakes his hands rapidly, backing up slowly.  
"N-no!! Please, let me just... s-step out o-of your w-way."  
Saizen swings his blade causing the blood and lighter oils to fly on   
the small man's face.  
"Beyond your corpse..."  
He rushes forward and feigns a slash at the man's arm, the man stepping   
back as Saizen reverses his fake slash and cuts the man's shins. The   
already stub heighted man drops another ten inches and falls on his   
back. Saizen stares down at the fallen swordsman. He almost finds   
himself smirking before driving his blade through the man's throat.  
"...lies the end of my path."  
The crowd that had gathered to view the battle flee in several   
directions as Saizen nears, running into buildings and alleys to avoid   
his cold, silver, lightless gaze.  
The sun catches on Saizen's hair as it reaches a point just over the   
mountains, casting another golden halo about the boy.  
--|-------  
"Yoshinobu has sent out search parties for the Tamoru boy. This is the   
oppurtunity to have him."  
"Is he the Battousai, Master?"  
Kongo looks up then, his small black eyes piercing any that would look   
at them. He speaks for Saitou, directing the response to Okita Soushi,   
but allowing others to hear.  
"The Battousai has red hair."  
Okita turns to Kongo.  
"So who is Tamoru?"  
Saitou, considering his young comrade's position, replies,  
"A foolish boy brought into battle. We will be rid of him."  
Okita glances at the taller captain and smirks.  
--|-------  
Kenshin sits silently in the restaraunt, taking in bottle after bottle   
of sake and a small bowl of rice. His crimson bangs fall about his   
lightly twisted face. He shuts his eyes tight to black the images   
speeding through his mind in cycles. Every man he's killed that had   
cried or begged for his life flashed by quickly and didn't return but   
for every one of them, there were three that had fought to their deaths   
and died silently, preserving whatever dignity they had. One face   
seemed to hold an unknown signifigance to Kenshin, continuing to   
reappear after every group of images. The night comes back to him   
slowly.  
  
"...so that shouldn't stop a man from being happy eh?"  
The large man smiles broadly as a taller, younger man carrying a   
lantern smirks lightly. A voice from the shadows echoes on the walls,  
"You are Jubei Shigekura of the Kyoto Shoshidai, are you not?"  
"Hm? Who are you?"  
"I've come to bring the punishment you deserve."  
"An assassin!"  
A thick man that had been at the back of the group turns and draws his   
sword. He takes high-katana stance and rushes at the boyish-appearing   
swordsman. From where the two other men stood, there was a bright flash   
of a quickly drawn blade, then the splitting of bones and the   
splattering of blood on the wall soon accompanied by a large body. The   
man that had rushed the young swordsman saw nothing more than a flash   
then felt warm steel plowing through his spine, covered like icing on   
cake in his blood. The last thing he sees before his body shuts down is   
the boy dashing toward the men he sought to protect.  
"n-no..."  
The assassin is seen coming toward the older man and the bodyguard   
carrying the lanter jumps forward. The old man pushes him back and   
prepares to draw his katana,  
"You can't die here!"  
A blade comes from below, through his throat and out the top of his   
head. The old man dies instantly, his eyes wide open and mouth gaping.   
Soon after the assassin pulls the blade through the front of the worn   
face and turns toward the remaining bodyguard. He runs and slides at   
once toward him and slashes to the right. The bodyguard slips from the   
swords path and draws his own. The assassin with the blazing red hair   
turns his blood draped sword so the light caught and shined across his   
cold, violet eyes.  
"Give up or die here."  
"I won't!"  
The man quarter hops forward and misses the killer of his master, then   
spins to try and catch his neck. The smaller swordsman guards and   
counterattacks the strike cutting into the bodyguard's shoulder. They   
continue to dance, the bodyguard, later to be identified as Kiyasato   
Akira, taking cuts and thrusts across multiple parts of his body.  
"I... can't... I refuse to die here!!"  
The two run toward one another and slash at the same time. The   
assassin, confident of his abilities, grows surprised when a line of   
blood appears on his left cheek. Kiyasato falls to the ground, mumbling   
the word "Tomoe" over and over. The assassin drives his blade through   
the man's neck and pulls it back out as his inspector, Iizuka, comes   
around the corner.  
  
"Tomoe..."  
Kenshin looks at his hands, wondering how he could have spilled so much   
blood with only two of them. He mentally notes that he is destined for   
Hell and rises, only to leave the building on a mission to take another   
life.  
"I... am fighting for Tomoe... right?"  
--|-------  
Saizen thinks of what he had drilled into Kenshin earlier that morning.   
He remembers telling the other Mitsurugii swordsman to find what he was   
fighting for and tell him. This order bothered him for a few moments as   
he wondered what he himself was fighting for. Thoughts of what he had   
said to the short man in the road come back to him and images of Amiko   
flash in his mind. He nods as he ties his headband and dons his   
uniform.  
"Perhaps this is the end of my path."  
--|-------  
The moon rests high in the night sky, illuminating the world beneath.   
Eighteen hours had passed since Saizen had confronted Kenshin on the   
battlefield and now the two warriors stood facing each other. The man   
with the title of Battousai, having had his fill of wondering what made   
the former-hitokiri's stance different, dismisses all other thoughts   
and focuses on what he believed to be one of the hardest battles of a   
life that would be shortlived if he continued his line of work. The   
swordsman stare deep into one another's minds, searching for answers to   
questions never thought of. Amiko stops crying as Kenshin makes the   
first attack.  
A slash at Saizen from any other warrior would have been easily   
countered, but this attacker was different, he fought all out in a   
style the Tamoru child had only been sure of himself to use. This slash   
had the power of a man wanting to live to protect behind it and knocked   
Saizen off his balance for a second. In this second red hair is seen   
spinning one way when a body twists the other. A blade comes deathly   
close to the ex-assassin's throat. Saizen steps back just enough to   
dodge but have attacking room and thrusts toward Kenshin's legs.   
Expecting the Battousai to move left or right, Saizen circles his   
attack and finds his target moving swiftly behind him. Silver hair is   
suddenly closer to the earth than sandals just as a blade touches the   
space a Tamoru's spine had been. Saizen finishes his flip and dashes   
forward at Kenshin, hoping to finish the fight with a slash to the   
stomach.  
The warrior in white hakama and a blue haori jumps enough to step on   
the swinging blade, following up with a downward slash to his quickly   
falling opponent. Saizen rolls, kicking his heels into Kenshin's chest,   
sending the hitokiri up several feet into the air and backward a few   
yards. He lands on his shoulders as the other Mitsurugii warrior goes   
from his back to his feet in a few seconds. When both are standing   
again, they drop to ready positions, waiting for the next assault from   
their opponent.  
"So, Himura, what are you fighting for?"  
"I told you. To protect those," he casts an unnoticed glance at Tomoe,   
"important to me."  
"I fight to take revenge on a foul government and I fight to defend   
those that cannot."  
Amiko begins crying again, taking Saizen's words personally. Tomoe   
turns to her and comforts her for a few moments listening carefully to   
the rest of the the mid-battle conversation.  
"So, why do we fight one another when we both desire to defend?"  
"You wouldn't understand. Let us test your 'battou-jutsu' Battousai."  
Saizen stretches these last three words for great length, and adds a   
cruel tone for the last word. He sheaths his katana and takes up a   
running position. Kenshin takes the hint and does the same. He thinks   
for a second of the beginning of their duel and finds the difference   
about Saizen.  
"You are left handed?"  
The Tamoru child smirks,  
"When I choose to be. Those that seek vengeance have... many secrets."  
Saizen's battou stance is right handed and Kenshin notices this. He   
takes up his running position, placing his right hand just below the   
guard at the top of the hilt of his katana. Using his left hand thumb   
he pushes the sword out of the saya a bit and waits for a moment.  
The two charge at once and less than a second before they cross paths,   
their swords flash in the strong moonlight. Each man continues running   
for a few steps, before stopping with his sword still extended at arms   
length. Both pairs of eyes close and one of the men drops to his knee.   
The other falls over and feels warm liquid flow slowly from his   
stomach. He blinks three times then coughs up a puddle of blood. The   
spurt catches a lower hanging bang of his silver hair and he smiles   
faintly. Kenshin holds his stomach with his arm, keeping in the tiny   
trickle of blood that would become another scar of his days of war. He   
rises from his knee and wipes his blade. Saizen speaks quietly from his   
fallen position,  
"It seems... you are faster than I. Do me one favor in honor of my   
family."  
Kenshin turns to face his former ally, his eyes lightly curious and   
shining dimly from behind his red hair.  
"End this war... make sure the Tokugawa end with me."  
Kenshin nods and Saizen smiles. His eyes grow colorless and empty then   
close with his final breath. Amiko cries harder as Kenshin walks to   
Tomoe,  
"I believe we were to go out this evening."  
--|-------  
"Sir, we just found out from that Choshu informant- the Tamoru boy has   
been killed."  
Saitou looks up, his cocky smirk dominating his lower face.  
"Now we can focus on the man of the slashing sword. The Battousai's   
head will be ours."  
  
~ Owari ~  
a/n: That is all friends, readers, whoever you happen to be in relation   
to me. I hope you enjoyed the Fourteenth Master. Review if you would be   
so kind. 


	8. The Beginning... of the End

When techniques are created, they are tested.  
  
Under proper instruction the fiercest technique can be   
learned by the most foolish, if the student is focused on   
his lessons.  
  
When the technique is mastered, it is passed on.  
  
The technique is taught only to the best of the best.  
  
It is taught in it's near maximum form to the strongest, fastest   
pupil.  
  
And to the most calm pupil it is taught in its full force.  
  
To protect the technique, the latter passes on the style in   
secret to but one.  
  
It is common knowledge that the former passes the technique   
on to a single pupil.  
  
So it comes to be that the second master the Hiten Mitsurugii   
Ryuu is not the best, but is the master known by the people.  
  
In this the fourteenth master is the weaker.  
  
Should these masters ever encounter one another, a battle   
would ensue, one that could only end in the death of a master.  
  
The master that is tainted, whether in mind or reasoning, is the   
master that cannot survive. The master that wants to live is the   
master that will live.  
  
The master that chooses the tainted path, is the liar, the master  
that chooses to die after accomplishing his goal.  
  
He who chooses to live, lives.  
  
~ Owari ~ 


End file.
